The Thanksgiving season is a reminder of the importance of gratitude. Paul exhorted, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:10-11). The word murmur can be rendered grumble or complain. The reference refers back to the children of Israel but is “written for our admonition.”
Ever gripe and complain? Grumble? In our world of present disarray, the temptation is great. Yet two verses later, Paul points to the way of escape: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Jesus is the Way, and therefore, the way of escape.
The way to gratitude is taking Jesus, gratitude Himself. Otherwise we find ourselves going down the dangerous path of grumbling that leads to destruction. The way in Jesus is time sensitive. It comes “with the temptation.” We must love Jesus, so that in the time of temptation we look to Jesus, taking Him in faith. There is no other way. He is the way to escape. He is life.
In this Thanksgiving season, may we allow the Spirit of thanksgiving to permeate our very core. Gratitude through Jesus is the way of escape from the destruction of grumbling.
John Van Gelderen
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